


BOYS

by P5soleilnoir



Series: Goro Week 2019 [1]
Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: During Canon, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Goro Week 2019, Just Boys Spending Time Together, p5soleilnoir
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-25
Updated: 2019-09-25
Packaged: 2020-10-27 19:03:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20765405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/P5soleilnoir/pseuds/P5soleilnoir
Summary: For each season, Goro spends some time with a friend – or several of them.





	BOYS

**Author's Note:**

> Here it is, Goro Week!! Starting Day 1 with the following prompts: Seasons, Friendship, Hobbies! The final scene with the four boys reunited was an idea I had for a while now, so I'm happy I finally got to use it somewhere. Please enjoy!

The fishing pond of Ichigaya seemed quite beautiful under the full bloom of the cherry trees that overlooked it, like it probably did each spring. A veritable layer of petals blanketed the water, swaying gently in the breeze blowing in, some strays landing on the muzzle of a confused dog or in the warm drink of an unsuspecting fisherman. It was still rather early in the morning, explaining the numerous coats and jackets from the few people around, but the timid sun definitely was peeking from beneath the tall buildings, with the promise of a warmer day as the hours went on. In fact, the weather was quite ideal for a relaxing morning spent fishing – or so Ren had declared as he dragged a rather dubious Akechi all the way from Yongenjaya, feeling like getting some fresh air on this Saturday morning.  
  
“Still no luck?” Ren asked a bit awkwardly as he glanced at Akechi, who hadn’t caught anything in the forty-five minutes they spent at the pond so far. “Um, I’d understand if you’d rather leave soon—”  
  
“Shh!” Akechi hushed, causing Ren to startle badly and back down like a scolded child – though now that he took a good look at him, he was starting to understand Akechi’s outburst might not have been entirely unwarranted. He was sitting on the edge of the plastic crate he had by way of a seat, back upright and features stuck in an intense look of concentration that effectively dissuaded all forms of communication whatsoever. Ren’s gaze shifted to the end of Akechi’s line, which was still floating gently on the water. It was as though the fish were giving it the cold shoulder, which didn't exactly help Ren's awkwardness as he threw a furtive glance at his own reasonably filled bucket.  
  
Rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, Ren risked a look at Akechi again, whose posture hadn't changed in the slightest for several long minutes now. He wasn't even blinking anymore, to the point Ren felt nearly unsettled a bit. It was almost like watching an uncanny, realistic statue…  
  
…Statue that darted to its feet so suddenly that Ren jumped about a foot in the air again.  
  
“Wh-Whoa!” he couldn't help but cry, but Akechi was evidently blind and deaf to the surprise he evoked; a defiant look had stolen over his features as he swung his rod back – Ren had to swiftly bend forward to avoid being smacked in the face by his catch – and tossed the fish into his lonely bucket. The next moment, Akechi was turning the most radiant, most beaming smile Ren ever had the luxury of witnessing, to such an extent he could practically see the sparkles jolting out of it.  
  
“I did it,” he said simply, though the subduedness of his words definitely didn't match the utter triumph glowing upon his face. “I'm surprised how child's play it was!”  
  
Ren thought needing nearly an hour to catch one single fish definitely couldn't be qualified as child's play, but he couldn't bring himself to shatter Akechi’s spontaneous, refreshing enthusiasm. He merely answered with a little smile.  
  
“At this rate, the student is sure to surpass the teacher, wouldn't you say?” Akechi went on alongside a heartfelt chuckle, prompting Ren's expression to turn unreadable.  
  
“Just like with our games of chess, you mean?” he shot back, with that tone he knew would catch Akechi’s interest the most; a casual line laced with challenge, a mere dash but still vivid enough for its underlying meaning to be received loud and clear. Sure enough, Akechi’s eyes widened – barely, but they certainly did. “How about it? First to surpass the other in fishing or chess wins.”  
  
Akechi observed him for a moment, slight surprise registering on his face, before a little laugh escaped his lips. Almost nonchalantly, he threw one leg over another. “And what do I get if I win?”  
  
“An endless supply of curry and coffee, I guess,” Ren answered, shrugging.  
  
A short silence went by during which Akechi considered this offer – and was then broken by another, heartier laugh.  
  
“Fine, you got me there. I accept your challenge,” he replied, eyes turning to crescents before a defiant expression took on his features, “but you'd better take this seriously and do your best. Because I am not letting this opportunity slip by anytime soon.”  
  
Ren leaned forward. For the first time, a smirk tugged at his lips – a smirk befitting Joker's. “You're on, then. I'll—”  
  
_“Fish!”  
  
_“Whoa!”  
  
It took about only a few seconds for Ren to properly understand what just happened in that moment: one, Morgana, who was napping soundly in the bag he kept slung to his shoulder, had apparently woken up. Two, he had presumably smelled the strong odor coming from the fish buckets, triggering his usual excitement when it came to seafood. Three, he had jumped out of Ren's bag in delight – and the force of the motion had very certainly, very definitely yanked Ren forward. Right into the water.  
  
The rest was a cacophony of splashing water. His drenched hair masking his sight, Ren flapped his arms around almost like a madman, more in outrage than real distress, until instinct gave way to reason. At last, his frantic movements ceased and he turned toward the edge of the pond, spitting out the water he was lucky enough not to accidentally swallow. Morgana looked positively alarmed, as he should, while Akechi merely blinked a couple of times, like he was unable to comprehend the scene. Then, he did just about the last thing Ren expected him to do – he burst into laughter.  
  
“Uh, Akechi?” Ren asked, feeling very much at a loss in that moment in addition to completely stupid.  
  
“I—Sorry, I know I—I know I shouldn't laugh—” he giggled uncontrollably, his fist covering his mouth but doing a very flimsy job at concealing it if Ren was perfectly honest, “but it's just—you looked so—”  
  
It seemed Ren wouldn't get to find out how exactly he looked – he was confident in his guess, however – given the laughing fit overcoming Akechi and preventing him from saying more. His shoulders were shaking like Ren had never seen them do before; the hilarity distorting his features was foreign as well, but he found it wasn't unwelcome at all.  
  
As Ren approached the edge and heaved himself up, Akechi finally got a grip on himself and hastened to help him, although his smile didn’t budge. The few people present, who hadn't missed a single minute of the show, slowly returned to their activities, which Ren was grateful for.  
  
“Guess I have no choice but go back to Leblanc, huh,” he mumbled, gaze lingering on a very flustered Morgana as he squeezed whatever water he could out of his jacket. “I can't walk around like this.”  
  
“I'll accompany you,” Akechi said in a cheerful tone before grazing his cheek sheepishly with his index finger. “Um, and after that… Let's go to this pastry shop I discovered, their cakes are supposedly very good… It's my treat.”  
  
“Trying to make it up for laughing at me, huh…” Ren mumbled as he twirled a lock of hair around his finger, prompting Akechi to let out an awkward chuckle. “But fine, I'll bite. Literally.”  
  
Ren remained entirely stone-faced even as the effect of his words sank their roots upon Akechi’s comprehension, whose perplexed face didn't take long to register amusement once more. “If you can still joke around despite the circumstances, I suppose I don't have to make it up to you after all, do I?”  
  
And with a self-satisfied smile, Akechi gathered his belongings and set off – prompting Ren to blink as if startled awake before trotting after him, feeling somewhat flustered all of a sudden.  
  
“Wait, Akechi!” he called, his voice then dropping to a quiet mumble. “Never said I wasn’t interested in having some cake…”  
  
  
  
  
  
Shujin Academy's annual sport event had always been the day Ryuji looked forward to the most. Tons of people gathered in one place, a huge selection of sports to partake in, the thrill of competition against his friends and rivals, hearing his name chanted again and again as he pushed his very limits, being able to make his mom proud of him for once—  
  
It also helped quite significantly that the event was always held in June, his favorite month – first because his birthday was coming up very soon, second because summer was the best season for anyone as outgoing as he was, and third because who wouldn't be excited to check out all those girls around, who for some reason always performed this wonderful trick where the pretty ones magically looked even more gorgeous once the beautiful days settled in?  
  
And now that Kamoshida was gone, Ryuji thought he could truly enjoy that day for what it was worth again. It would be tough, what with his legs and all, but he was never one to back down before a challenge; in fact, he revered it.  
  
“It's crazy how fast Sakamoto-kun is! You know, the guy from 2nd year?”  
  
“Oh, I know him! Yeah, he's so good at track and field—not to mention definitely cute!”  
  
“Really? You guys have to show me a picture!”  
  
“I wonder if he'd be interested in hanging out—”  
  
_“—Ryuji!”  
  
_Ryuji's sweet daydream instantaneously vanished before his eyes, replaced instead by a very impatient Ann. She had her hands upon her hips and glared at him in a manner reminiscent of a disapproving parent.  
  
“We're talking to you, you know! About what we should do for summer holidays!”  
  
It was lunchtime inside classroom 2-D of Shujin, which was reverberating with excitement at the upcoming afternoon; only one hour left before the sport event. Ryuji had always favored hanging out in this class rather than his own – this was Ren and Ann's, after all. The desk by Ren's side was also his favorite place to nap, given that her owner always spent lunch somewhere else at school with her friends.  
  
“What are you, my mom?” Ryuji shot back as he rested his head in his arms, his lips tugging into a blissful smile. “Give it a rest, Ann.”  
  
“Ugh!” Ann hissed, frustration abound as she rounded on Ren, who finally bothered to look up from his lunch and threw her a mildly curious look. “Say something!”  
  
Halfway to chewing, Ren looked at her, then at Ryuji. Several seconds went by before he swallowed and spoke.  
  
“You've got a bit of drool on your chin.”  
  
Ryuji straightened up, cleared his throat and then wiped his mouth. Wide, awkward grin obvious on his face, he scratched his head sheepishly, while Ann simply slapped her face with her palm. Eager to change subjects, Ryuji made to speak but—  
  
“—can’t wait to see him in action! That’s going to be a real show!”  
  
“Oh, I bet he’s going to look so cool as always… I’m getting nervous!”  
  
“I know we should support Shujin, but… I wouldn’t mind it if he scored one for his own school! Do you think he will, by the way?”  
  
“No doubt about it! Shujin doesn’t stand a chance against him. Because there’s nothing Akechi-kun isn’t good at! And besides—”  
  
“Wait, what?!”  
  
His chair rattling loudly against the floor, Ryuji bolted to his feet and slammed his hands on the desk in a flash. A rather impressive vein pulsed near his temple, though as the group of girls looked at him with something rather like disdain, Ren and Ann merely seemed confused.  
  
“You okay, Ryuji?” Ren wondered, Morgana’s curious head peeking out of his hiding spot all the while.  
  
“What do you think?” Ryuji barked in response, outraged that Ren would have had the nerve to even ask. “I mean—it’s freakin’ Akechi they’re talkin’ about! Why the hell would he attend Shujin’s sport event? And why do you two look like you don't give a shit?!”  
  
Ren and Ann traded a long, dragging glance. Ryuji’s gaze drifted back and forth between the two of them, his blood turning hotter by the minute until Ann finally spoke.  
  
“Uh… Because we knew his school would be the one to compete with Shujin?” she ventured, her exasperation as plain as if she had spelled it out to his face.  
  
“Huh? You did?” Ryuji asked, so surprised he forgot to act petulant for one moment.  
  
“The principal told us during that assembly last month,” Ren explained as Morgana, apparently finding this exchange rather dull, hid back to continue his nap. “You were there, remember?”  
  
“But of course, you didn’t pay attention to half of what he said, right?” Ann chided again, a frown twisting her features. Ryuji, rather than humbling down, only reacted with equal indignation.  
  
“C’mon, gimme a break! Who cares what that old geezer has to say?” he shot back before letting himself fall on his chair again, determined to sulk. “What sport’s Akechi goin’ to compete in, anyways? Bet he’s signed up for somethin’ girly like archery or—”  
  
But the rest of this conversation never found a proper end, for the bell announcing the end of lunchtime and the beginning of the event finally rang on. After being wished good luck by Ren and Ann, Ryuji pushed Akechi at the back of his mind for the time being and rushed to the gymnasium to change into his sportswear, joining dozens of Shujin students who would partake in the activities. The afternoon began in a pleasant and festive atmosphere, marked by the rival school’s introduction and welcome, and then the start of each competition. Basketball, soccer, archery, gymnastics, baseball, swimming, everyone from both sides did their best and demonstrated admirable fair-play, with all the supervisors around throwing praises of good sportsmanship to whoever was close enough to hear. Ryuji wallowed in this joyous atmosphere, rejoicing for Shujin’s representatives during each activity, clapping the hardest to celebrate the feats of his friends, cheering almost like a madman whenever Shujin won a competition. His bliss was at such a high point that he completely forgot about Akechi – until he spotted him in the distance, surrounded by a crowd like a pack of oysters clinging to a reef. Akechi looked all glitzy as always, wearing a stupid smile on his face while girls like guys swooned all around him. For the life of him, Ryuji couldn’t figure out what enticed them to throw themselves at his feet this time – Akechi hadn’t even participated in any activity yet, what in the world were they celebrating now?!  
  
Ryuji grunted. He was not happy.  
  
“Hey, Sakamoto! Track’s coming up next!”  
  
Snapped out of his thoughts by a classmate’s cheerful call, Ryuji looked up, the prelude to adrenaline shooting through his veins. “Right…! Let’s do it!”  
  
Mere moments later, he stood on the starting line alongside his peers, doing last-minute stretching exercises to get his muscles going. The entire school was cheering for him, he who used to be looked at with indifference at best, disgust at worst. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, but the nervousness of it was only playing a minor part – most of it was born out of true excitement.  
  
…Excitement that nearly instantaneously soured into raw exasperation as he noticed who was coming right by his lane, sporting this stupid smile once more.  
  
“Why aren't I surprised…?” Ryuji asked aloud to no one in particular, rolling his eyes so badly they nearly disappeared behind his lids for one split second. Akechi apparently didn’t hear him, or perhaps chose to ignore – either way, he greeted him with a crescent-shaped gaze.  
  
“Hello. It seems we’re going to compete against one another today,” he said, arms folded behind his back as he leaned slightly toward him. “My name is—”  
  
“Akechi Goro, yeah, yeah, yeah. I know the drill,” Ryuji responded, not making a semblance of effort to appear even remotely cordial. Akechi gave one of those infuriating little chuckles of his, the kinds that always triggered in Ryuji an urge to punch him in the face.  
  
“I suppose there’s no hiding it, is there?” he said in a pleasant, joking tone, before looking at him frankly. “But this goes both ways, I think. Haven’t we met recently? At the taping a few weeks ago?”  
  
“Guess we have,” Ryuji replied laconically, gaze focused elsewhere.  
  
“That’s what I thought. You are one of the people who accompanied Amamiya-kun, aren’t you—”  
  
“Athletes, it’s time!” cut off the supervisor’s voice, causing a great rustle as each competitor hastened to get ready. Akechi threw a quick nod at Ryuji and set into position, a look of true determination etched along his features. This only served to fuel the one burning in Ryuji’s core harder.  
  
“On your mark! Get set! …And _go!”   
  
_It was like a miracle happened in the split second the flare gun went off – Ryuji took off at a sprint like he were a human bullet, feeling his legs carry him so fast he felt as though he was flying; the sensation was exhilarating, forcing all his concerns out and true bliss in. The adrenaline was now pumping through his veins at full speed, alongside a flow of energy unlike anything he ever felt before. It was hard to worry about anything in that moment, not even Akechi. All he could focus on was this wonderful feeling of soaring forward like a great tailwind blew behind his back, without a care in the world, only distantly registering the cheers of the crowd as the race went on…  
  
It was only when he saw the finishing line that he yanked himself back to reality, and felt his heart give a bound as he realized he was actually first. Second in line was Akechi, concentration written all over his features, and while he was following closely behind, Ryuji was confident he wouldn’t be able to catch up – especially since it was time for the final sprint, the last feat to end this moment of true euphoria.  
  
No sooner did the thought cross his mind than a sharp pain flared across his legs, so excruciating that he collapsed to the ground.  
  
“N-No way…!”  
  
The fall was a hard one, in all the senses of the word. Ryuji clutched his right leg, which was covered in a superficial but painful scratch, though the sting of it was nothing compared to the one seizing his heart – humiliation and shame burned within the pit of his stomach alongside the frustration of being so close to victory only to be denied last minute, probably disappointing his mother again as well as his peers. Not to mention an immense feeling of dread at the realization that he might never be able to run again after all despite what he hoped… despite what he believed…  
  
“Are you okay? Here, let me help you up.”  
  
A hand reached out to him in that moment, so sudden and unexpected that Ryuji was taken very much aback. His confusion went from significant to outright sky-high as he looked up at the person who stopped to give him a hand. It was Akechi.  
  
Seconds feeling like minutes and minutes feeling like hours, Ryuji stared at him, dumbfounded and at a complete loss for words. Akechi was as always smiling, though there was an undeniable trace of underlying concern hidden behind it. In the distance, he vaguely heard the roars of happiness coming from Shujin’s supporters as the race ended – the top two spots apparently consisted of Shujin students, while Akechi’s school ranked only third at best.  
  
A broody pout wiping away his initial surprise, Ryuji climbed to his feet on his own and, hands in pockets, and walked past Akechi without a word. But then, he paused.  
  
“…Why did you stop?”  
  
Even with his back turned to him, he could tell Akechi was confused. He could practically sense him tilt his head to the side. “What do you mean?”  
  
“I mean that because you stopped, you cost your school a victory,” Ryuji snapped as he rounded on him, eyes thin like slits. “That was completely stupid of you. _Not at all what I expected from you, especially…”   
  
_“I’m sorry?” Akechi asked, unable to catch the last of Ryuji’s remark given how quietly he had spoken.  
  
“It’s nothin’. Anyways, you didn’t answer my question. Why’d you stop?”  
  
Akechi’s surprise didn’t take long to melt away, giving room for the return of his usual smile. “Because winning this way wouldn’t have been satisfying.”  
  
“Huh?” Ryuji replied, a hint of confusion flashing across his face for the first time that prompted Akechi to elaborate.  
  
“You were in front of me the entire race. By all means, you deserved this victory. And besides…”  
  
Akechi’s voice trailed off as he gave himself time to think. Then, he looked up once more. “Stopping to check up on you… felt like the right thing to do, I suppose? It felt… normal.”  
  
It was Ryuji’s turn to look puzzled. Another moment of stillness went by as they stood, apart from the world in that moment, until at last… Ryuji spoke.  
  
“You’re a moron,” was what he said. Akechi brought a finger to graze his cheek sheepishly, only to blink a couple of times as a hand stuck out to him. Ryuji’s.  
  
“For bein’ a great rival.”  
  
Akechi merely stared, looking at a compless loss of what to do. His gaze remained fixed on Ryuji’s hand as though he had never seen one before, let alone this close. But at last, his expression mellowed and with a beaming smile lightening his face up, he grabbed Ryuji’s hand and shook it graciously.  
  
The next day, a pack of girls was queuing in front of Ryuji’s desk to get a chance to speak to him, much to his self-satisfaction. He guessed he owed him one – no matter how much he hated the guy still.  
  
Becoming known overnight throughout the school as being part of Akechi Goro’s inner circle of friends definitely had its perks, after all.  
  
  
  
  
  
Yusuke was wandering the beautiful paths of Inokashira Park in search of inspiration for his next painting when he stumbled upon him by coincidence.  
  
There, sitting on a bench and circled with the wonderful red, gold and maroon shades of autumn, was Akechi Goro. A cool but soft breeze rustled the trees above, shaking a myriad of colors onto the ground in the form of leaves that, dead as they were, still carried distant traces of their former beauty. They whirled at Akechi’s feet, but he paid them no mind – the contents of the novel he was reading seemed to capture his entire attention. Wind blew through his hair, each lock fluttering gently before falling back in place and then again. If he felt inconvenienced by the slight bite in the air, it didn’t know.  
  
Yusuke threw his thumbs and index fingers into a frame, which served only to confirm what he already knew. Like Ann had done in the past, the mere vision of him had been enough to light the spark deep within that created Yusuke’s structure.  
  
Quickly, he set up his easel, his canvas, his seat, and tackled the task.  
  
The first step was sketching, which was the most important one – one bad sketch could ruin the entire painting before it had even begun. With masterful precision, Yusuke added line after line with his pencil, referring to his model every now and then before returning to his sketch with more fervor than the minute before. The long distance was less than ideal, but he was too engrossed to snap out of his artistic passion for the time being, let alone move from his spot to get closer. A sort of grin tugged at his lips after what like nearly one hour; he could see the finishing line already, could picture the end result as it unfolded with each new coat of paint, each new touch of color. He was so absorbed, in fact, that he didn’t notice—  
  
“Ah… Kitagawa-kun, was it? What a coincidence meeting you there,” came a soft voice from his side, prompting Yusuke to blink before looking up and meeting Akechi’s pleasant features. “We’ve met before, in Ginza station.”  
  
“I do recall that,” he replied simply as Akechi leaned closer.  
  
“Hard at work, I see. What are you draw—is that _me?!”   
  
_“It is indeed you,” Yusuke confirmed, his stoic features a stark contrast from Akechi’s dumbfounded ones. “I was looking for inspiration, and a flash came to me as I saw you sitting there.”  
  
Akechi gave an embarrassed chuckle, but Yusuke heard none of it. He stared at him still, unreadable features remaining whole. “This is why I’d appreciate it if you could consider being my model a little while longer until I finish this. What do you say?”  
  
“Huh? Your model?” Akechi echoed, caught very much by surprise. Yusuke, for his part, betrayed no emotion once more.  
  
“Haven’t you some experience in this? I heard several companies approached you to do modelling for them.”  
  
“That’s true, but those are usually photoshoots… it’s the first time I’m asked to model for an actual painting.”  
  
“Is that a problem?” Yusuke asked, a crease furrowing his forehead. “If not, please return to that bench and assume a reading position again. Pretending is fine.”  
  
“Eh?” Akechi mumbled as Yusuke stood up, retrieved his belongings and settled down again several feet away, much closer to the bench. Akechi followed him apparently without quite thinking given his rather round eyes and dumbfounded expression. “Um, I was actually on my way home now—”  
  
“I see…” Yusuke responded, head drooping and shoulders hunching dejectedly. “You have to leave after all…”  
  
A long moment of silence went by, broken only by the rustle of leaves as a high wind rolled around. They covered the walkway like a beautiful blanket, many of them falling upon the pond akin to warm-toned nenuphars. Yusuke brought a hand to his forehead, feeling immensely tired and weary all of a sudden, like despair itself was charging in the horizon and eating him from the inside—  
  
“Fine, fine, Kitagawa-kun! I’ll, I’ll help you out…”  
  
“Excellent,” Yusuke said as he immediately straightened up to a very awkward-looking Akechi, who was holding his hands at chest level in a sign of defeat. “Please have a seat.”  
  
Like this, the process resumed, with only the whistle of wind to cut the stillness that had settled around them. Akechi was back to looking at his book, though given the noticeable slowness with which he turned each page compared to before, his reading didn’t seem blessed with as strong a focus for some reason.  
  
“Um… How is it coming along, Kitagawa-kun?” he asked after nearly twenty minutes of silence.  
  
“Quite nicely. I’m done translating your expression into paint. I’m going to tackle your clothes now.”  
  
“I see…”  
  
Yet another long silence fell. The wind was rising cold and biting, but Yusuke had never cared so little than in that one instant.  
  
“Magnificent,” he kept chanting, “simply magnificent. This shade of maroon compliments your pale skin wonderfully, and the way the light reflects upon your coat is a sight to behold.”  
  
Akechi found nothing to reply and settled with grazing his cheek by way of an answer – a motion that earned him a hiss of disapproval from Yusuke. Time marched on as he kept painting, adding one stroke of red here, one stroke of orange there, the union of which paving the way to what he was certain would be a masterpiece.  
  
“Does inspiration come to you often?”  
  
Perhaps it was because he was getting bored, perhaps because he simply wanted to make conversation – Akechi couldn’t help but speak again. Unlike appearances, however, Yusuke didn’t really mind.  
  
“It doesn’t. Not to this degree, at least,” he replied, busy mixing two colors together on his palette. “It’s already autumn, but inspiration such as this has struck me only a couple of times this year.”  
  
If he had looked up, he would have noticed Akechi was staring at him, lips parted and eyes very round. Akechi then let his gaze fall once more, though a slight, timid smile was now pulling at his lips. “And one of those times was me…?”  
  
“Indeed. The colors of autumn truly enhance you,” Yusuke replied matter-of-factly, again catching Akechi very much off-guard. “I just had to capture this scene no matter what.”  
  
And with that, the last touch of paint was added, and the picture was complete. Yusuke stood up and paced backward to take in the end result better, then nodded to himself in approval – it was purely and simply perfect.  
  
“May I see?” Akechi asked as he stepped closer, curiosity alight within the depths of his eyes. He took some time to gaze at the picture, lips slightly parted, before commenting, “oh, that’s… You have a real gift, Kitagawa-kun. This scenery is beautiful.”  
  
“Only because your presence adds an inestimable touch to it,” Yusuke remarked while absently cleaning up his brushes. Akechi stared at him dumbfounded for a few long moments, and finally averted his gaze.  
  
“…that’s got to be a first…”  
  
“I beg your pardon?” Yusuke asked as he glanced up at him, unsure whether Akechi just spoke or if he misheard.  
  
“Nothing,” Akechi said hastily, plastering a big smile on his face. He then retrieved his belongings, and addressed Yusuke a slightly fonder – more genuine – smile. “How about walking back to the station together?”  
  
“Yes, let’s do that,” Yusuke said while packing the last of his tools and carefully holding the picture with the tips of his fingers so that he wouldn’t mess up the fresh paint. “I’d like to stop by a convenience store on the way there, however. I could go for a snack.”  
  
Like he had predicted, ‘Young Man in Autumn’ became a hit among art connoisseurs practically overnight. Critics praised its composition and the intricate use of colors to replicate a warm and soft atmosphere befitting the arrival of the colder days. Yusuke briefly wondered whether he should start following Akechi around in the hopes of being struck by another flash of inspiration, but Ren and the others didn’t seem too impressed by the idea. In fact, they all seemed to unanimously agree it was absolutely terrible. Yusuke had shrugged in submission, but the promise he made with himself to paint another picture of Akechi one day remained whole.  
  
  
  
  
  
As a frigid wind froze Tokyo over with the mid-days of November, Central Street’s Big Bang Burger was packed like the city streets on New Year’s Eve; adding to the casual customers were all those who came for shelter against the biting chill and seek some temporary warmth alongside a good, hearty meal.  
  
“But man, ice skatin’ sure is fun. Wish we could’ve stayed longer.”  
  
“Well, I’m not displeased. My head was spinning too much after all those twirls…”  
  
In one booth near the windows, four boys were having a lively conversation while waiting for their food – their cheeks and noses were reddened by the cold and their hair slightly disheveled, but they looked for all the world like they just had the time of their lives.  
  
“But you gotta admit, you were pretty good at it, Yusuke,” Ryuji said in between two sips of his drink – before addressing Akechi a sidelong glance accompanied by a smirk. “Unlike a certain detective…”  
  
“Like I said, it was my first time doing this sort of thing…” Akechi countered somewhat weakly, eyes narrowing. “I wouldn’t say I did that badly, all things considered.”  
  
“Dude, are you kiddin’? You were holdin’ Ren’s hands the entire time!”  
  
“Th-That’s not—” Akechi shot back much more vehemently, his whole demeanor now fueled by outrage. “Of course I didn’t—that was only in the beginning!”  
  
“Akechi’s right, Ryuji,” Yusuke stepped in, stirring his water absently. “He merely clung to Ren the rest of the time.”  
  
Ryuji snickered, while a vivid tint of crimson that had nothing to do with the cold outside quickly rose to flush Akechi’s cheeks. “Please stop…”  
  
“How was it like, teachin’ the newbie, Ren?” Ryuji went on anyway, purposefully leaning forward. Ren emptied his drink with a loud sip before speaking out.  
  
“I thought Akechi was a bit like a newborn deer learning to walk,” he explained, shrugging. “Shaky legs and all.”  
  
This was all it took for Ryuji to chortle again, much to Akechi’s growing annoyance and even more severe embarrassment. Fortunately, his ordeal came to an end as exclamations of wonder and amazement all around rang as the waitress brought them their food.  
  
“Here you go, gentlemen! Three Cosmic Tower Burgers and one regular cheeseburger! Good luck and have fun!”  
  
The three burgers she laid on their table couldn’t be called food – they were closer to being a weapon given their gargantuan size. One was probably enough to knock out an elephant, let alone a human being… which is what was so much fun about the Big Bang Challenge, or so the contestants believed. Akechi’s burger looked even more puny and sad in comparison.  
  
“We can share if you want,” Ren suggested, but Akechi politely declined – apparently, he wasn’t feeling it too much. He seemed content with simply watching the show.  
  
“Okay, you two ready?” Ryuji asked, already grabbing his burger in both hands. “On three… one, two, three!”  
  
It was a literal assault of man against food; even the tables nearby couldn’t help but stare in awe. Akechi was done with his own burger long before the three challengers even began to make a dent in theirs. There was something captivating about it all, some kind of obscene curiosity that one could spend their life quenching, and it would never be enough. By the 26” minute mark, a miracle happened – Ren finished his food.  
  
“I can’t believe you pulled that off,” Akechi exclaimed, half in amazement, half in clear terror. “You really are something…”  
  
A few more minutes went by during which Yusuke and Ryuji struggled to keep going – but when the thirty minutes elapsed, Ren bolted to his feet, hand clapped over his mouth.  
  
“Need… Need the restroom!”  
  
As he dashed away, Ryuji dropped the last of his burger onto his tray and followed his example, running like his life depended on it. “Me too…!”  
  
“M-Me as well…!” Yusuke cried weakly before taking off in turn. Akechi remained alone at the table, blinking very round, very big eyes as he watched the three of them practically fight their way to the restroom. The surprise upon his features then instantaneously vanished in favor of a lighthearted, cheerful laugh, the kind that wasn’t restrained and spoke of true happiness.  
  
All of this… It was fun. Completely novel, always finding ways to catch him off-guard, but fun.  
  
He only wished he had experienced this feeling sooner. But now that he had it branded in his memory, imprinted into his heart, he swore not to ever let go of it. He was going to cherish it… and one day, maybe he would be able to tell them… ‘thank you.’

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> Take a look at [my Twitter account](https://twitter.com/p5soleilnoir) if you're interested in my fanfic updates, sneak peeks of future stories, chatting with me, or otherwise seeing 99% of Goro pictures and content!
> 
> [My profile](https://archiveofourown.org/users/P5soleilnoir/profile) is regularly updated in accordance with my current and future projects, so feel free to check it out every now and then!


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